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Forum Discussion
Smart Sync and Quick Preview on Mac
Smart Sync causes my quick preview function (spacebar) to not function properly on my Mac. I can't preview thumbnails, or quick preview any videos or photos. Any ideas why this happens?
Likely because you're trying to preview a file that doesn't exist on your computer.
When you set a file to Online Only, the only thing that's left of that file on your computer is the necessary information to make it appear in the folder. Since there's no content in the file, your OS (nor any other program) is able to preview it.
Remember, when you set a file to Online Only, the file is removed from the computer leaving behind only a marker file. In order to access that file, whether it be to open and edit it or simply preview it, the file needs to be on the computer (Smart Sync doesn't allow you to open files directly from the Dropbox servers). When you open a file, it's synced back to your local drive and then opened as normal. When you're done with the file, if you want it to be online-only again, you need to mark it as such.
Norah
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox Staff
I've been writing about the same issue in another post and will also write a ticket.
My observations about the problem:
- Occurs when opening finder preview images (spacebar) in "Online only" folder. It show's previews for few files but after that it stops showing them and will not show any preview files even in local files outside dropbox
- Only fix is to Force quit Finder when this happens
- Everyone in our work team who use High Sierra has this problem (we all use smart sync)
- Did not happen before High Sierra
- Still happens after clean High Sierra install / installing latest dropbox client
Hope it will get fixed soon!
- Norah
Please send the email with a guide to troubleshooting to me aswell. We have the same problem in our office.
- Norah
Has this issue actually been fixed or are Dropbox Support emailing individuals to troubleshoot?
It's a little misleading to consider this problem "solved" when the solve was support saying they'd go the email route, and not follow up with any information about what the fix was.
This is a big problem for myself and many of the art directors at the business I work at. I'm currently runnig OSX 10.13.4, and I hardly consider force quitting Finder to be a solve. Anyone know what the conflict seems to be?
- Norah
Hi Norah,
Attached below is a screenshot, although it should be noted that this isn't an isolated problem with dropbox files that are set to "local," and affects all local (not dropbox) image files on my system. It appears that this has something to do with selectively syncing files from "online only" to "local." On system restart or force quitting finder, things go back to normal and Quick Look is usable again, but only until I selectively sync again and it's wash-rinse-repeat.
After speaking with the other art directors on our business account, it sounds like this is a widespread problem.
Needless to say, my coworkers and I are usually pouring through countless images and files on a daily basis (many, if not most using Quicklook to bypass having to fully open a file), and having this affect our workflow is a bit restricting.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
I, too, have similar issues with Smart Sync disrupting my Quicklook and cannot get it to work. Is there a solution?
- Norah
I too am having the same problem. I now can't preview any of my files stored on my local drive (attached is a screenshot of items on my desktop, stored locally). Is there a fix for this? This is a huge deal breaker!!
I work on a Mac. When I first turn on my computer, I can view images with QuickLook and in the thumbnail, but after a short period of time QuickLook begins to fail and display an icon representing the type of file rather than the image. The image I attached in this email are local files that are on my desk top. One shows how QuickLook and the thumbnails are working properly, the other is after QuickLook malfunctions. Any other files that I preview in a different window will no longer display the thumbnail. Just an icon of the file type. Further, when I press the [Spacebar] to activate QuickLook, only the icon of the file type is displayed.
The images below are screenshots of a local PNG file on my desktop. The first was taken when I first start my computer. The second is the same PNG taken literally one minute after I previewed a Dropbox folder.
